Yes, thank you. I had bought the valve seals already and gave them to the shop.

 

BTW - do I need to be worried about this damage - in the photo on the right side?

 

Almost all exhaust rocker pads get some wear from the decompression ball,but this is pretty deep. Also look at the cam lobes.Both intake and exhaust lobes should be the same height. If there are extreme wear marks on the cam exhaust lobe,then it needs to be replaced along with the exhaust rocker arm. The manual show the lobe height minimum.32.426 (1.2766) This was in the year model range that did have soft heat treated cams. Some wore,some didn't. If you want or nneed to replace it and the exhasut rocker arm,after markets have been out for some time now.https://www.ebay.com/itm/Polaris-Spo...dTUBQI&vxp=mtr

 

Cam looks look ok, but I'll try to get the lobes measured to be certain. I ordered a new after market exhaust rocker arm.

On another part - the front wheel drive prop shaft, should the grease be oozing out, or should it stay sealed? The front joint was all seized up, but is starting to move better with some grease.

Also - glad I took the head to a shop, they said the surface needs to be refinished as parts of the old head gasket were embedded into the surface.

 

If grease is oozing out,you knows it's greased good enough.If the joint is wobbly,then probably time to replace them.As far as the head gasket imprinted on the head,a simple die grinder with a 3M pad usually makes short work of that on cleaning the surface.

 

I've started to put the engine back together. New piston, rings, cylinder etc. Got the circlips in ok, and the piston into the cylinder.

Before going any further, I tried to turn the engine to see the piston go up and down. Was easy to do before when the lower rings were worn down. Now it won't turn over. The piston is half way into the cylinder. Should I be worried? Or is this to be expected with a new engine? I oiled the inside of the cylinder, oiled the rings etc. So there should be lubrication.

 

I pulled off the cylinder a bit to expose the connecting rod. Piston seems to be moving ok. I'm thinking the crankcase is seized? It's been a couple of months since I started the project. Kept shop towels packed around the connecting rod. ATV kept in my garage. Not sure what to do next...

 

I'm going to feel really stupid if the answer is to put the machine in Neutral. Will try again in the morning...

 

Shouldn't matter in what gear on his old 99 Magnum. The one way bearing in the drive clutch should allow the crank shaft to turn over easily.

 

Yeah - put it in neutral this morning, and still won't manually turn over. Not sure what do do next - any suggestions? Why would the crankcase suddenly seize?